Fine-Tuning the Design: Practical Application of Discrete Fracture Networks in 3D Finite-Element Models

DOI

10.2991/978-94-6463-900-1_2How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Discrete Fracture Network; mine design; three-dimensional analysis; finite-element; stope; pillar

Abstract

Application of discrete fracture networks (DFN) for detailed analysis of operational mine designs is demonstrated by means of two case studies. The first case is an open pit where a section of the pit design was re-analysed using a DFN to provide confirmation of the applicability of the slope design parameters. The second case involves the proposed stoping of an ore block located below a critical piece of mine infrastructure and confirmation of its stability was a key requirement to proceed. In both cases the internal DFN generator tool in RS3 was used. Both cases provided defendable results on which to base operational decisions, to a higher level of confidence than conventional analysis methods involving semi-empiricism (rockmass strength approach).

Copyright

© 2025 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

Download article (PDF)

TY  - CONF
AU  - Gordon Sweby
AU  - Rebecca Carlton
AU  - John Player
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025/12/07
TI  - Fine-Tuning the Design: Practical Application of Discrete Fracture Networks in 3D Finite-Element Models
BT  - Proceedings of the Rocscience International Conference 2025 (RIC 2025)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 7
EP  - 17
SN  - 2589-4943
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6463-900-1_2
DO  - 10.2991/978-94-6463-900-1_2
ID  - Sweby2025
ER  -